Governor for pumping-engines



(No Model.)

W. FISHER & G. H. BEEBE.

GOVERNOR FOR PUMPING ENGINES. No. 305,167. Patented Sept. 16, 1884.

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' UNITED STATES- PArENr Orrrcn.

WILLIAM FISHER AND GEORGE H. BEEBE, OF MARSHALLTOVVN, IOWA.

GOVERNOR FOR PUMPING-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,167, datedSeptember 16, 1884.

Application filed April 18, 1884. .(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM FrsHnR and GEORGE H. Bnnnn, both ofMarshalltown,

Marshall county, in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Governors for Pumping-Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our improved governor controls the flow of steam from the boiler to theengine according to the pressure in the water-mains. As the pressure ofthe water increases the flow of steam is restricted. This regulator maybe used either alone or in combination with a speed-governor of anyordinary or suitable character. There may thus be a reasonable limit tothe speed when the water-pressure is so low as to call for the fullestaction of the engine. We will describe the invention as used alone, itbeing understood that where other governors are also employed a'separatevalve connected with such other governor may be introduced in thesteam-passage, either before or behind our governor. \Ve employ apartially-balanced valve to control the flow of the steam, but it isarranged to exert some force. This may be exerted in the directioneither to open or to close. as exerted-in the direction to open thevalve. The effect is to control the valve mainly by the pressure of thewater, but partially by the pressure of the steam. When thesteam-pressure is high, the pumping will proceed more rapidly than whenthe steam'pressure is low, with the same pressure of the water.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification. It is acentral vertical section.

Referring to the drawing, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, we will use the 40 letter A, with additional marks A A", &c.,

to designate the fixed portions of the apparatus. The lower portion isadapted to resist the pressure of the steam and to constitute suitableseats for a partially-balanced valve.

5 The seat for the upper and larger portion of the valve is marked A Theseat for the lower and smaller portion is marked A Bis .thepartially-balanced valve, certain portions being designated, whennecessary, by

additional marks, as B B &c. An axial \Ve have shown it cup-leatherarranged to be distended by pressure from above. This piston is arrangedto play up and down in a smooth-fitting hollow cylinder, A, which isfixed at aproper elevation. A spiral spring, I, lifts forcibly on thepiston G. A pipe, in, controlled by a valve, M, connects the upper endof the hollow cylinder A with the water-mains. (Not represented.) Apressure in the water-main is felt onthe upper faceof the piston G,tending to press it, andconsequently the valve B, down- 7 ward. Thespring I resists this pressure downward. The force of the spring may beadjusted by turning the thumb-nuts H H upward or downward.

Operation: Supposing the nuts H" H to be properly adjusted, the valve Mis opened, allowing water from the main to flow through the pipe on intothe cylinder above the piston G. N ow, a steam-valve (not represented)is opened, andthe steam flows from the boiler (not represented) throughthe passage to and past the valve B down through the passage a to workthe pumping-engine. (Not represented.) The starting of the engine andthe commencement of the pumping willraise the pressure in the main andcause the water therefrom to act with more and more force on the uppersurface of the piston G, correspondingly compressing the spring I andurging the valve B down toward its seats. The contraction of thesteanrpassage by the partial closing of this valve limits the supply ofsteam to the pumping-engine,and consequently controls the speed of thepumping. Supposing the engine to be working quietly and regularly at arate sufficient to maintain the full desired pressure inthe streetmains, the open ing of one or more hydrants, in consequence of a fire orother cause, by increasing the ave- I00 nues of escape for the waterfrom the streetmains lowers its pressure. This reduces the force on theupper face of the piston G. The spring I, being subject to less force,expands and raises the piston G, with its connections. This opens thevalve 13 and allows more steam to flow to the pumping-engine. When thishas been done to a sufficient extent, the pump ing will proceed at asufficiently increased rate to maintain the pressure at a proper workingheight. The pressure in the streetniains under these conditions will notbe as high as before, the steaurpressure in the boilers being equal, butit will be a practical working pressure. Thenceforward each fluctuationin the pressure in the street-mains will result in'a movement of thepiston G upward or downward, and a consequent expansion or contractionof the area through which the steam may flow past the valve B. Givingmore area and more steam will pump faster and increase the supply ofwaterto the mains. Contracting the area will have the opposite result.The effect is to regulate the pressure in the mains and keep it nearlyuniform. The force of the steam acting on the unbalanced areas of thevalve tends to open the valve. So long as the boilers are of sufficientcapacity and are promptly attended to, so that they are able to supplythe steam at a uniform pressure for all rates of working of the pumpingapparatus, the tendency of the steam-pressure to open the valve willhave little useful effect. It will enable a less forcible spring I toserve; but this will be an advantage oflittle moment. IVh en, however,the boiler capacity is insu'llicient, or the attendants are notsufficiently prompt in adjusting the fires to the exigencies, or when,for any reason, the boiler-pressure varies, the effect of the varyingpressure on the unbalanced areas of the valve gives an importantadvantage. So long as the boiler-pressure is high a given lowering ofpressure in the water-mains will hold the valve in such a position thatthe pumping-engine will work at a certain high speed; but when theboiler-pressure is reduced the same draft on the water-mains, and thesame lowering of pressure therein, although it similarly lowers thepressure forcing downward on the piston G, will not result in the sameexpansion of the spring I and the same rising of the valve 13, becausethe pressure of the steam on the unbalanced surfaces of the valve B isnot as greatthat is to say, under all circumstances the pressure of thesteam applies on the bottom of the large upper disk, 13 and on the topof the smaller bottom disk, B The pressure 011 each will be somewhatmodified by the action on the beveled surfaces as they rise and sink, asis well understood in the working of such balanced puppet-valves; butthe general tendency is as follows: The pressure on the lower disk, B,balances the pressure on an equal area of the upper disk, An annulararea of the upper disk, 13

which remains unbalanced, is forced upward by the pressure in theboiler, or, rather, by the difference between the pressure in the boilerand that of the steam which has passed the valve. This unbalancedpressure has the effect to open the valve wider when the boilerpressureis high, andless wide when the boilerpressure is low.

It will now be seen that the regulation of the engine by our apparatusis dependent partly on the varying water-pressure which is felt on thepiston G, and allows the valve to rise higher as the water-pressure isreduced, and partly on the varying pressure in the boiler, which, whenit is high, forces thevalve open to a greater extent than when it islow. The relative influence of these two elements may be varied byvarying the area of the piston G, supplying a spring, I, ofcorresponding force, and keeping the valve B, with its disks B, thesame; or the relations maybevaried bykeeping the piston G and the springI as at present and varying the sizes of the two disks B B.

It will be understood that the wings B, which connect the disks B B andalso the wings B, which are below the lower disk, 13, are simply tostiffen and support the disks and to guide the valve as it rises andsinks, and insure that it shall always work in line with the axes of itsseats.

Our improved governor requires no motion from the engine or other sourceto operate it. It needs but one stuiiing-box. It is adaptable to allclasses of steam-pumping machinery, but more especially for thewater-supply of towns and large manufactories. It will work veryquickly, and is very simple in construction. If the consumption of thewater entirely ceases, the pressure in the mains, and consequently 011the upper face of the piston G, will by the action of the spring I closethe valve entirely and the pumping machinery will stop until theconsumption of water again commences. In case the governor breaks downor is taken apart for repairs or for other purpose, the engine will notbe disabled. The steam-valve will open itself as soon as steam isadmitted to the valve-chamber, and in case an alarm of fire isgiven,requiring the engine to work rapidly, or under any othercircumstances,the action may be regulated by the ordinary throttle-valve(not represented) until the governor is repaired and again put inoperation. A double engine should be employed in cases where diffieultyis apprehended from a possibility of the engine' stopping in some position where it will not start on receiving the steam-pressure.

WVe propose in some cases to introduce a stop in such position that thevalve shall remain a little open under all conditions sufficiently tokeep the pumping machinery in slow motion.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions,within widelimits without departing from the principle or sacrificing theadvantages of the invention. Parts or" the invention may be used withoutthe whole. We can employ a form of valve B which shall be perfectlybalanced. In such case the area of opening for applied to air-pumps forvarious purposes-as, f or example, air-engines and air-brakes.

We claim as our invention- 1. In a governor, substantially as described,

a double puppet-valve, as B, having bearings of unequal area, arrangedas described, a piston, G, and spring I, combined with connectionsbetween said piston and valve, and with means for subjecting the pistonto the pressure of the street-main, and for leading the steam to thevalve, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a governor, the adjusting means H 11*, in combination with theyoke D, ways A, valve B, piston G, spring I, and suitable connecting 2 5means arranged to serve as herein specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, at Marshalltown,Iowa, this 31st day of March, 1884, in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

WILLIAM FISHER. GEO. H. BEEBE.

WVitnesses:

O. B. PINKHAM, R. ESTABRQOK,

